Shakina Small, LPC

Shakina Small is a licensed counselor in Pennsylvania with 26 years of clinical experience who combines professional training with personal insight to support individuals and families. She identifies as a Messianic Jewish believer in Yeshua (Jesus) as her L-rd and Savior and, when requested, offers Christian-informed therapy as part of a holistic approach. Her formal credentials include LPC, which stands for Licensed Professional Counselor, and a National Certified Counselor credential, a nationally recognized counselor certification.

She has worked across a wide range of settings including prisons, schools, churches, residential treatment programs, group homes, inpatient and outpatient services, and foster care. Over the course of her career she has helped people facing trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship and family challenges, parenting concerns, career transitions, learning disabilities, adolescent issues, and the complex needs of adoptees. She has particular experience supporting those who have endured sexual, emotional, or physical trauma and abuse.

As a therapist who has also experienced adoption, abuse survival, and early parenthood, she brings empathy and directness when appropriate, blending education with engaged, compassionate guidance. Her style is client-centered and eclectic - drawing on biblical perspectives and therapeutic methods such as CBT, DBT, emotionally focused practices, psychodrama, writing and poetry therapy, and creative expressive work - to help clients identify root patterns and foster meaningful change.

Her mission is to help people move beyond past hurts and break cycles of dysfunctional behavior so they can build healthier, more productive lives. She encourages a collaborative process that addresses both practical skills and deeper emotional healing.

Approaches That Translate to Online Care

Shakina Small integrates client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy into her online work. Client-centered therapy focuses on meeting clients where they are, offering empathy and unconditional positive regard to support personal growth and strengthened relationships. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, making it useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes. She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills for emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness when clients need tools for managing intense emotions or relationship conflicts.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Shakina collaborates with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She blends practical skill-building with deeper emotional work so clients can make steady progress in ways that feel fitting and manageable.

Online therapy with Shakina is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility and accessibility. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life transitions, and access support from home or other convenient locations while working with a licensed professional.